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Fallout 4 is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fifth major installment in the Fallout series (eighth overall). It was released on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on November 10, 2015, except in Japan, where it was released on December 17, 2015, due to the country's requirement to censor some footage and references to atomic war, while still keeping the plot intact.[Non-game 2] A VR version of the game was released in 2017 and is treated as an independent standalone game.

The story of Fallout 4 focuses on a spouse, the Sole Survivor of Vault 111, as they search for their missing child, Shaun. Fallout 4 is set in and around the Boston area in 2287, 10 years after Fallout 3. Along the way, the Sole Survivor discovers a world in fear of a mysterious organization known as the Institute, consumed by paranoia of a race of robotic yet also biological human-like beings known as synths. As a result of the synth-focused narrative, the Sole Survivor, as well as the player, are faced with ethical questions such as how far people should experiment with science, the morality of creating sentient living machines that express emotions and suffering, and what it means to be human. Story elements from previous games are present, primarily Fallout 3; the main story of Fallout 4 takes elements from The Replicated Man quest from Fallout 3.

In 2022, Bethesda announced that a free next-gen update patch would be released for Fallout 4 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. This patch will include bug fixes, performance mode features for high frame rates, quality features for 4K resolution gameplay, and new Creation Club content. It was initially announced to release in 2023, but was delayed to 2024.[1]

Gameplay

Fallout 4 is similar to Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas in some ways; the gameplay allows the ability to switch from first to third-person view. Enemies such as mole rats, mirelurks, raiders, super mutants, deathclaws, and ghouls return to the series. The player character, the Sole Survivor, accesses the in-game menus through a Pip-Boy to manage statistics, maps, data, and items. The player may continue playing even after they have finished all of the main quests, a feature returning from Broken Steel, which allows players to experience the aftermath of their decisions. There are plenty of side quests to pursue, many of which can also be experienced after the main story ends.

Changes from Fallout 3 and New Vegas

The protagonist now has fully voiced dialogue. However, players can no longer see the full response from the onset, only short phrases which give a general idea of what the protagonist can say. Conversations are also more cinematic, making use of camera angles to also show the Sole Survivor's expressions and face. It is now possible to sprint instead of jog.

The companions now have an affinity system, in which they can have positive or negative opinions of the protagonist depending on the choices made. Companions can react differently to the action; for example, one companion may like it if the protagonist acts selfish while another may hate it. Seven companions can be engaged in a relationship with the protagonist, including same-sex relationships, although Fallout 4 does not let players have sleeping partners like in New Vegas. Instead, Fallout 4 companions in relationships are more focused on the non-physical side of it, such as expressing their love and emotions verbally, though it is implied when sleeping in a bed with a max affinity romanced companion that sexual intercourse took place, and the pop-up for Well Rested is replaced with Lover's Embrace.

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The Pip-Boy playing video games

While the previous games featured some minor elements of crafting, crafting in Fallout 4 is much more of a focus and the crafting system makes use of every lootable object in the game as a source of raw material and more. Players can also find game cartridges with retro themed mini-games which can be played on the Pip-Boy. There was a free phone app called Fallout Pip-Boy which allowed players to sync the game to the phone app and use their phone like a Pip-Boy.

Character customization

Skills have been removed, replaced with a 7x10 perk chart. At each level-up, the player can acquire a new perk, each with prerequisites based on SPECIAL attributes and level, and most have multiple tiers. A consequence of the new advancement system is that there is no hard level cap, allowing players to experience a little more freedom when it comes to exploring and combat.

Equipment

A new equipment system allows a wide variety of upgrades and customization for weapons and armor. Unlike the previous two Fallout games, weapons and armor do not deteriorate with use and no longer require constant maintenance. Armor is now a split-piece system for different limbs such as left arm and right leg, allowing players to mix sets together. Power armor now requires batteries called fusion cores to ensure they run at full performance.

Combat

FO4 VATS

V.A.T.S. in Fallout 4

Main article: Fallout 4 combat

A returning gameplay feature is the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S.), which can play a critical part in combat. While using V.A.T.S., real-time combat is slowed down, and action is played out from varying camera angles in a computer graphics version of "bullet time." Attacking in V.A.T.S. costs Action Points, limiting the number of actions available at a time, and the player can target specific body areas for attacks to inflict specific injuries; headshots can be used for quick kills or blinding, legs can be targeted to slow enemies' movements, and opponents can be disarmed by shooting at their weapons.

One change is how Fallout 4 handles critical hits. Before, they were random while striking enemies. Fallout 4 gets rid of the Critical Chance statistic and now there is a critical meter that will fill up and players can decide when to execute a critical hit. It is also now possible to equip grenades as a secondary weapon.

Settlements

FO4 Warwick homestead (2)

Settlements allow players to build houses and manage communities

A new feature to the series is the ability to build settlements. Within the boundaries of a settlement, players can scrap objects and structures for resources and use them to build their own structures, including housing, vegetable gardens, defenses, stores, and crafting stations. Each settlement can also connect to others by brahmin caravan, which then share resources. Towns can be powered with electricity, using a dynamic power line system, as well as equipped with water pumps and crops/gardens to keep a steady income of food and drink. Merchants and non-player characters can inhabit player towns and help keep the settlements running as a community. Players can build various defenses around their settlements, such as turrets, guard towers, and traps, to defend the settlements from raids and attacks.

Survival mode

Survival mode is a hardcore difficulty where autosaving and manually saving from the menu are disabled. The only way to save the game is to sleep in a bed, on a mattress or in a sleeping bag. The exit save function is still available but it is a temporary save that is deleted automatically upon loading. There is no fast travel and the player is subjected to hunger, thirst and exhaustion. Companions require healing in order to get back up. There are also many other aspects which increase difficulty not listed here.

Mod support

Fallout 4 is the first Fallout game to have native mod support for consoles. During E3 2015, Todd Howard revealed the Xbox One version would offer mod support following the release of the Creation Kit for PC, which became available for download on April 26, 2016. The Xbox One mod support was released on May 31. Mod support for PlayStation 4 was initially announced to be due sometime in June but was delayed; by September, mods on the PlayStation 4 were reportedly canceled.[Non-game 3] However, Bethesda and Sony later came to an agreement and allowed mods to come to PlayStation 4 after the release of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition. Mods were eventually implemented for the console, but they are limited to using assets already found within the game files.[Non-game 4]

Setting

Main article: Fallout 4 locations
BostonStreet-Fallout4

Boston as it appears in Fallout 4

The events of Fallout 4 occur in 2287; a decade after Fallout 3 and six years after the events of Fallout: New Vegas.

The game takes place in the Commonwealth which is composed mainly of the former state of Massachusetts and is set heavily in the eastern portion of the state. The largest and central city of the game is Boston but also includes the surrounding towns and cities of Cambridge, Concord, Lexington, Malden, Nahant, Natick, Quincy, Revere, and Salem. Other real-world locations are represented in less detail, such as Bedford which has been replaced simply with Bedford Station. The game also includes some fictional towns, such as Sanctuary Hills where the game begins.

Fo4 DiamondCity Inside

The Sole Survivor in Diamond City

Famous local landmarks like the Paul Revere Monument, the USS Constitution, as well as the Massachusetts State House with its unique golden dome, are included in the game world. Other locations that make an appearance in the game are Scollay Square, renamed Goodneighbor, Bunker Hill, and the baseball stadium Fenway Park which has become a shantytown called Diamond City.

In Fallout 4, the Boston area has been quite flooded compared to real life, with new rivers. A large and still inhospitable nuclear blast site called the Glowing Sea is to the southwest. The starting area in the northwest contains low-level enemies and is relatively safe, but the enemies get progressively tougher towards the southeast area of the map.

Story

Synopsis

FO4 Sole Surv side by side

"Nate" and "Nora," two different versions of the Sole Survivor depending on the player's gender preference

The player is the Sole Survivor of Vault 111. Although the player can decide the Sole Survivor's name, gender and appearance, the father is commonly referred to as "Nate" while the mother is commonly referred to as "Nora" due to them being the names given to the player's spouse. Fallout 4 briefly begins on October 23, 2077 (the day of the Great War), showing the player living with their spouse and child, Shaun. After a series of events, they emerge after the Great War.

FO4 Synth loading screen 1

Many characters in Fallout 4 are secretly synths

The story of Fallout 4 guides the player into its world, discovering leaders of different factions with varying views of synths. These include Preston Garvey of the Minutemen which lacks a strong opinion on synths, Desdemona of the pro-synth The Railroad, Arthur Maxson of the anti-synth Brotherhood of Steel and even the leader of the Institute behind the synths, "Father." Synths being a main focus in the game encourages the player to empathize with the characters' distrust and uncertainty as to who they should trust, adding a level of paranoia with character interactions. During the game, it is revealed that seemingly innocuous characters are actually synths. Every major faction has at least one synth within their organization.

Plot

Vault 111 pre war

Sanctuary Hills residents flee to Vault 111 moments before the bombs drop

On the morning of October 23, 2077, a father stares at his reflection in a foggy mirror and remarks war never changes. His wife tells him to stop hogging the mirror. The player may play as the mother or father. The protagonist walks around their house and speaks to their Mr. Handy, Codsworth. A representative from the Vault-Tec Corporation arrives and says because of the contributions of their family to the country, they have been chosen to be allowed in the local Vault, Vault 111. The protagonist decides to verify their information. After the representative leaves, Shaun cries and his parent spins a mobile over their crib to calm him down. Codsworth implores the family to see a TV broadcast, confirming that America is being nuked. Sirens begin blaring in Sanctuary Hills, causing all the residents to flee to the local Vault, but only those who are approved access are allowed past a security gate.

FO4 Trailer 02

The bombs dropping near Boston

The protagonist descends into the Vault seconds before they are hit by the explosion. Inside, the new residents are welcomed by the Vault 111 overseer, given their jumpsuits, and a doctor implores them to enter a decontamination and depressurization chamber. After what appears to be a few moments inside the pod, the protagonist witnesses a mysterious man open their spouse's pod and try to take Shaun. The spouse refuses and so the man kills the spouse and steals the baby. The man then looks at the protagonist and calls them the "backup" before leaving.

After what seems to be more moments, the pod opens and mentions that they were actually inside a cryogenic chamber; the other residents asphyxiated to death in their pods. The protagonist mourns their spouse, takes their wedding ring and says they will seek vengeance. The protagonist makes their way outside the Vault which has become infested with giant roaches, realizing they are the Sole Survivor. Back on the surface, the Sole Survivor sees the ruins of Sanctuary Hills and discovers from Codsworth that 210 years have passed since that fateful morning.

PiperBGS

Piper Wright trying to get back inside Diamond City

After a sweep of the neighborhood, the Sole Survivor discovers no evidence of Shaun. They learn that survivors may be in Concord so they head there and meet Preston Garvey of the Commonwealth Minutemen. They are told Diamond City may be a good lead and at the front gates, they meet Piper Wright, a reporter who has been banned from the city because she wrote a speculatory article suggesting the mayor could be a synth. Piper uses the Sole Survivor to get back into the city; inside, they meet Nick Valentine, a friendly synth detective who has been allowed to live in the city. Nick encourages the Sole Survivor to investigate Conrad Kellogg, the suspect of Shaun's kidnapping.

FO4 Kidnapping Shaun

The dive into Kellogg's memories

They find a cigar in Kellogg's house which Dogmeat tracks to Fort Hagen where the Sole Survivor kills Kellogg. Upon leaving, a Brotherhood of Steel airship flies to the Boston Airport where the Sole Survivor can learn about the group and possibly join them; if done, the Sole Survivor can discover Paladin Danse was secretly a synth all along who was unaware, and either let him go or execute him per Arthur Maxson's orders. Kellogg was a cyborg and a device connected to his brain allows the Sole Survivor to dive into his memories with the assistance of Doctor Amari at the Memory Den. Inside Kellogg's memories, the Sole Survivor witnesses moments of Kellogg's life, sees Shaun has grown up to be a young boy, and discovers the secret of how the Institute manages to lay low: teleportation.

Brian Virgil

Brian Virgil, a former member of the Institute

Kellogg's memories and Amari's advice indicate that the Sole Survivor should locate an escaped Institute scientist, Brian Virgil, who escaped to the Glowing Sea after intentionally transforming himself into a super mutant to escape the Institute. Virgil informs the Sole Survivor they need to collect a "courser chip" for the teleportation so they kill a courser, Z2-47. To use it, Virgil tells the Sole Survivor to find a synth liberation faction called the Railroad. Using the Freedom Trail, which is a red colored brick pathway in Boston's streets, the Sole Survivor finds them located under a church led by a woman named Desdemona. She implores the Sole Survivor to keep their location hidden, but is willing to let them join if they desire.

FO4 Shaun and Sole Survivor

The Sole Survivor meets "Shaun" in the Institute

With the help of either the Minutemen, Brotherhood or the Railroad, the Sole Survivor builds a teleporter to enter their facility where they discover Shaun, but not in the way they expected. The Sole Survivor quickly discovers there is something off about "Shaun" during their conversation, especially when their child appears to be disturbed by the reunion and is deactivated like a synth. The real Shaun enters the room, who is actually an elderly man who has become the leader of the Institute, due to being removed from the cyro pod many decades ago and growing under the Institute's wing long before the Sole Survivor woke up.

FO4 gorilla synth

Synth gorillas in the Institute

Shaun allows his parent to wander around the facility in order to learn more about the Institute and get to know its employees. The Sole Survivor learns the Institute is an advanced technological site of innovation, capable of making artificial gorillas, but they are also incompetent when it comes to keeping their synths in check, making them require "coursers" to go after escaped synths, and even dedicate an entire sub-organization called the Synth Retention Bureau. Before leaving, the Sole Survivor meets Madison Li who gives them the ability to teleport into the Institute. In the Sole Survivor's free time, they may also discover the reason why synths are able to escape the Institute in the first place.

FH Kenji Nakano 02

Kenji Nakano concerned about his missing daughter Kasumi

After leaving the Institute, the player is encouraged to take a faction's side which will result in angering another faction due to their differing views on synths and inability to compromise, especially due to Shaun's rigid belief that synths are not sentient. As a result of Shaun's, Desdemona's and Maxson's differences of opinion, the three leaders instead demand the Sole Survivor to go on a murder spree and wipe out the other factions. However, if the player purchased the add-ons, the player can instead take a boat ride to Far Harbor and the Island or a subway train to Nuka-World, before deciding on a faction. The former story involves the mysterious disappearance of a teenager named Kasumi Nakano and focuses on synths, while the latter story focuses on three gangs trying to dominate the abandoned theme park.

Endings

Main article: Fallout 4 endings

Fallout 4 has four main endings, one for each main faction, with some variations regarding the relationships of the factions within. For example, in one ending, the Institute is destroyed while the other three factions co-exist.

Endings
  • In the Minutemen ending, the Sole Survivor must offend the Institute somehow; for example, not following Father's expectations, which results in Father saying, "Those who are not with us are against us." The Institute decides to attack the Minutemen's castle. The Sole Survivor helps defend the castle from waves of synths. After, with the help of Garvey and Sturges, the Sole Survivor discovers there is a way into the Institute by swimming through a pipe and navigating a sewer system. The Sole Survivor helps modify the teleporter so that Minutemen members can infiltrate. Garvey helps with the slaughter of the Institute while the Sole Survivor rigs the reactor to detonate so that the Institute is destroyed. Before leaving, the Sole Survivor may choose to take a synth version of the child Shaun. On a rooftop, the Sole Survivor and Garvey watch the Institute explode.
  • FO4 Glorys death

    Glory killed by the Brotherhood of Steel in the Railroad ending

    In the Railroad ending, the Sole Survivor keeps an eye on the Institute while secretly helping synths escape during the Battle of Bunker Hill. The Brotherhood of Steel decides to attack the Railroad and the Sole Survivor fends them off in the church, although Railroad member Glory is killed. Deciding the Brotherhood must be destroyed, the Sole Survivor, Deacon, and Tinker Tom steal a Brotherhood vertibird, infiltrate the Prydwen with explosives, and escape. Although Father wants the Railroad slaughtered, the Sole Survivor causes a planned synth rebellion in the Institute and helps modify the teleporter so that Railroad members can infiltrate. Desdemona helps with the slaughter of the Institute while the Sole Survivor rigs the reactor to detonate so that the Institute is destroyed (ensuring no new synths will ever be created). Before leaving, the Sole Survivor may choose to take a synth version of the child Shaun. On a rooftop, the Sole Survivor and Desdemona watch the Institute explode.
  • In the Brotherhood of Steel ending, Maxson orders the Railroad to be slaughtered, which the Sole Survivor helps carry out. The organization powers up Liberty Prime, an anti-communist giant fighting robot previously seen in Fallout 3, which blasts a way into the Institute. The Sole Survivor rigs the reactor to detonate so that the Institute is destroyed. Before leaving, the Sole Survivor may choose to take a synth version of the child Shaun. On a rooftop, the Sole Survivor and Maxson watch the Institute explode. Later, Maxson promotes the Sole Survivor to the rank of Sentinel.
  • In the Institute ending, Father demands that the Railroad be slaughtered. After carrying out the act, the Institute decides the Brotherhood must be destroyed and so they decide to assault the Boston Airport. The Sole Survivor defends a virus synth as it hacks into Liberty Prime, causing it to think the Prydwen is full of communists. Maxson in power armor tries to defend Liberty Prime but he may be killed by the Sole Survivor. The Prydwen is destroyed by Liberty Prime. Back at the Institute, the Sole Survivor visits Father who dies from his condition. A memorial for Father is built and the Sole Survivor becomes the new director.
FO4 ending scene3 01

The Sole Survivor closes their eyes and remembers the peaceful Sanctuary Hills from their past

No matter the ending, the Sole Survivor mentions they close their eyes and remember their old neighborhood and home. They reflect on how the Great War changed their life and how the Commonwealth they explored is not the one they wished for, but it is still their home in the process of being rebuilt. The Sole Survivor mentions they have come to accept that it is impossible to go back to a time before the bombs fell, but they now feel ready to face the challenges that lie ahead.

It is entirely possible to mix steps in the above "endings" because some of them are quests that do not necessarily force each other to fail. For example, it is possible to warn the Railroad after being sent by the Institute to destroy it, then destroy the Prydwen as part of the Railroad, then return to Father and get the Institute ending slideshow.

Development

The Bethesda Game Studios Team

The Fallout 4 Bethesda Game Studios Team

Initially, in 2004, Bethesda Softworks licensed from Interplay Entertainment the rights to create and publish three Fallout games (Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 4). Later, in 2007, Bethesda purchased the entire franchise, and Interplay licensed back from Bethesda the rights to a Fallout MMORPG. The legal dispute concluded in January 2012, with Bethesda Softworks and its in-house development studio retaining the rights to all of the Fallout franchise, including an MMO.

In 2009, Bethesda's Pete Hines said, "The whole reason we went out and acquired the license and that we now own Fallout is that we clearly intended to make more than one." He also added, "This is not something we're going to do once and then go away and never do it again. When that will be or how long that will be God only knows, but we acquired it specifically because we wanted to own it and develop it and work on it like we do with The Elder Scrolls."[Non-game 5]

Development began right after Fallout 3's release, in 2008. The game had minor development due to Skyrim being developed at the same time. After Skyrim was released in 2011, Fallout 4 became the primary project for Bethesda.

During voice recording, Fallout 4 was given the codename of Angelina, ostensibly a space sci-fi game, according to the audition sides.[Non-game 6] Voice recording for video games was a much more secretive process at the time of Fallout 4's development, and many actors initially did not realize what they were working on, before reading dialogue that clued them into the fact that it was a Fallout game.[Non-game 7]

The game features just over 111,000 lines of dialogue, more than all of the dialogue in Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim combined.[Non-game 8]

Announcement

Todd Howard revealed in an August 2010 interview with Eurogamer that Bethesda was working on two projects; one had been in development for two years (beginning after Fallout 3 was released), and the other was still in pre-production.[Non-game 9] It is now known that the title farther along in development was The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, while Fallout 4 was the title in pre-production.

On January 9, 2013, the voice actor behind Three Dog (Erik Todd Dellums) was given permission by Bethesda to hint towards his appearance soon. On his Twitter account, he stated, "To all my #Fallout3 and #ThreeDog fans: There may be more of the Dog coming! Fingers crossed!"[Non-game 10] However, in July of the same year, Dellums tweeted that the game he is working on is not being produced by Bethesda Softworks, therefore, it was not the anticipated new Fallout title.[Non-game 11][Non-game 12]

Bethesda Game Studios announced on Bethblog on April 15, 2013, that they had completed all new content for Skyrim and were moving the studio's attention to an as of yet unknown title that had previously been in pre-production since 2010.[Non-game 13] Although Bethesda Softworks did announce The Evil Within during the same week, it was developed by another studio and had no direct impact on the project Bethesda Game Studios was working on.[Non-game 14]

In December 2013, Kotaku claimed information about Fallout 4; it was being developed, set in Boston, revolves around the Institute, there are characters named Preston Garvey, Travis Miles and Sturges, and the protagonist enters a cryogenic sleep chamber near the beginning.[Non-game 15]

Todd Howard was interviewed on Rock, Paper, Shotgun on February 18, 2014, and said that a new game announcement would be very far away. "We don’t [have a timeframe for our next game announcement]," he said, "but I think it’s gonna be a while." He was described as "forever positive" and enthused that "PC is resurgent." "Skyrim did better than we've ever done on PC by a large, large number. And that's where the mods are. That feeds the game for a long time. And it's exciting that the new consoles are very PC-like. That opens up avenues for us going forward to do things that we've wanted to do in the past. There are kind of random ideas we're working on right now, and it's like, 'Wow, I think there's potential here to do some really cool stuff,'" he said.[Non-game 16]

A countdown timer[Non-game 17] was set on Bethesda's Fallout website on June 2, 2015, expiring the next day at 10:00 AM EDT. On June 3, seconds before 10:00 AM EDT, the Fallout 4 trailer was released on YouTube. The Fallout website also debuted in full Fallout 4 style, including a working teaser phone number, previously used during the Fallout 3 release.[Non-game 18]

Bethesda's first ever E3 showcase took place on June 14, 2015, at 7 PM PST. The E3 showcase was streamed on YouTube and Twitch. Bethesda revealed gameplay footage including combat, a refined VATS system, a new crafting system, concept art, and a release date, which was confirmed to be November 10, 2015. A major new feature shown during the press conference was the ability to craft and deconstruct settlements.

Music

Fo4 Original Game Soundtrack cover

Fallout 4 Original Game Soundtrack

Main article: Fallout 4 soundtrack

The soundtrack of Fallout 4 was composed by Inon Zur who previously did the soundtracks of Fallout Tactics, Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. Because Zur felt that Fallout 4 had a more personal story, he made the piano take a more prominent role in the game's score.

Products

Pip-Boy Edition

Fallout4 PIPBoy Edition-EU-EN

Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition

The Pip-Boy edition of Fallout 4 features: a wearable Pip-Boy that can, according to a Forbes article, hold the iPhone 6, iPhone 5/5s, iPhone 4/4s, Samsung Galaxy S4, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and many other smartphones using foam inserts.[Non-game 19] a Pip-Boy pocket guide, a Vault-Tec perk poster, a RobCo Industries stand (for your Pip-Boy), a capsule case, and the game in a collectible metal case.

Fallout 4 Nuke Pack

Fallout-4-Nuke-Pack

Fallout 4 Nuke Pack

The Fallout 4 Nuke Pack features a Fallout 4 lunchbox, a 37x10" Fallout 4 Print, a Vault Boy mini bobblehead, and the game in a collectible metal case. The Nuke Pack is sold exclusively in Australia and New Zealand, distributed by EB Games.[Non-game 20]

Fallout 4 Mighty Bundle

Fallout-4-Mighty-Bundle

Fallout 4 Mighty Bundle

The Fallout 4 Mighty Bundle features: a 100-page hardcover Fallout 4 Franchise Book "...detailing in words and hi-res imagery the history of Fallout over the years", a Fallout Vault Boy Pop! Vinyl figure, and a copy of the game.[Non-game 21]

Game of the Year Edition

Fallout 4 GOTY

Fallout 4 G.O.T.Y. Edition

Fallout 4 GOTY Pip Boy Edition

Fallout 4 G.O.T.Y. Pip-Boy Edition

Return to the Wasteland on September 26 with Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition. With all the latest gameplay updates (including Survival mode), graphical enhancements, the ability to play Mods for free on PC and consoles, plus all official add-ons included, this is the ultimate way to experience the award-winning post-nuclear adventure from Bethesda Game Studios.Bethesda Game Studios

Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition was released on September 26, 2017, for PC, PS4 and Xbox One; this edition includes all 6 main add-ons.

To celebrate the Game of the Year Edition, Bethesda released a limited quantity of Fallout 4 G.O.T.Y. Pip-Boy collector editions, exclusively available in North America at select retailers. The Pip-Boy Edition includes Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition and retailed for $99.99 USD, and was also released on September 26.[Non-game 22]

Downloadable content

F4 SeasonPass pack PEGI en

Bethesda announced that DLC would come and start in early 2016, as well as smaller updates along the same lines Skyrim saw.[Non-game 23] A season pass for all add-ons could be bought at a price of $29.99 USD, €29.99 Euro before March 1, 2016, and a price of $49.99 USD, €49.99 Euro afterwards. The released DLC includes Automatron, Wasteland Workshop, Far Harbor, Contraptions Workshop, Vault-Tec Workshop, and Nuka-World, along with the free High Resolution Texture Pack.

Automatron

The mysterious Mechanist has unleashed a horde of evil robots into the Commonwealth, including the devious Robobrain. Hunt them down and harvest their parts to build and mod your own custom robot companions. Choose from hundreds of mods; mixing limbs, armor, abilities, and weapons like the all-new lightning chain gun. Even customize their paint schemes and choose their voices![Non-game 24]

Wasteland Workshop

With the Wasteland Workshop, design and set cages to capture live creatures – from raiders to Deathclaws! Tame them or have them face off in battle, even against your fellow settlers. The Wasteland Workshop also includes a suite of new design options for your settlements like nixie tube lighting, letter kits, taxidermy and more![Non-game 24]

Far Harbor

A new case from Valentine’s Detective Agency leads you on a search for a young woman and a secret colony of synths. Travel off the coast of Maine to the mysterious island of Far Harbor, where higher levels of radiation have created a more feral world. Navigate through the growing conflict between the synths, the Children of Atom, and the local townspeople. Will you work towards bringing peace to Far Harbor, and at what cost? Far Harbor features the largest landmass for an add-on that we've ever created, filled with new faction quests, settlements, lethal creatures and dungeons. Become more powerful with new, higher-level armor and weapons. The choices are all yours.[Non-game 24]

Contraptions Workshop

Machines that sort! Machines that build! Machines that combine! With Fallout 4 Contraptions, use conveyer belts, scaffolding kits, track kits, even logic gates to construct crazy and complex gadgets to improve your Wasteland settlements. The Contraptions Workshop also includes all-new features like elevators, greenhouse kits, warehouse kits, fireworks, armor racks and more![Non-game 24]

Vault-Tec Workshop

Build a brighter future underground with the all-new Vault-Tec Workshop. Create a massive Vault and attract new Dwellers using pre-war industrial kits complete with retro-nostalgic furniture, lighting, and art. Even change and customize the look of your inhabitants with new barbershops and cosmetic surgery stations. And like every good Overseer, run Vault-Tec approved experiments on your Dwellers to learn what makes an ideal citizen. Vault-Tec has given you the tools, the rest is up to you![Non-game 24]

Nuka-World

Take a trip to Nuka-World, a vast amusement park now a lawless city of Raiders. Explore an all-new region with an open wasteland and park zones like Safari Adventure, Dry Rock Gulch, Kiddie Kingdom and the Galactic Zone. Nuka-World features new quests, Raiders, weapons, creatures and more. Enjoy the ride![Non-game 24]

High Resolution Texture Pack

Experience the wasteland like you've never seen it before with the Fallout 4 High-Resolution Texture Pack! From the blasted buildings of Lexington to the shores of Boston Harbor and beyond, every location is enhanced with ultra-deluxe detail.[Non-game 25]

Creation Club

On August 28, 2017, Bethesda Game Studios inaugurated additional downloadable content that can be bought separately through the Creation Club. Content available on the Creation Club is fully compatible with the main game, official add-ons, and achievements.

Reception

Fallout 4 received a Metacritic metascore of 84/100 on PC,[Non-game 26] 87/100 on PS4,[Non-game 27] and 88/100 on Xbox One.[Non-game 28] The game received several awards and nominations, including 2016 D.I.C.E. Game of the Year and 2016 Game Developers Choice Awards Game of the Year.[Non-game 29] Fallout 4 shipped 12 million copies to meet day one demand.[Non-game 30]

IGN gave Fallout 4 a 9.5/10, mentioning, "The world, exploration, crafting, atmosphere, and story of Fallout 4 are all key parts of this hugely successful sandbox role-playing game."[Non-game 31] PC Gamer gave it an 88/100 and praised the amount of customization, feeling, "It's a highly customisable RPG in a world that's packed full of things to do. Its systems are intricate, and invite you to tailor them to your liking. When you do, it can be wonderfully satisfying, but also—in the sense that you can be a huge stealth machine carrying an antique, irradiated sword—a little bit dumb. Fallout 4 willfully trades immersion for an enjoyable, freeform sandbox of possibilities."[Non-game 32]

The game's reception has been hurt due to technical issues, and is considered to have a worse PC version; it sits at user Metascore between 5-6 for PC, while the PlayStation 4 version is shy of a 7. Common issues of the PC version include freezing, crashing and quest progression locking up. In response, Bethesda will release a bug patch in 2024.

Fallout 4 was less well-received among some older Fallout fans due to some stylistic choices. Some players felt there was less role-playing compared to New Vegas, with some calling it more of a "looter shooter" than an RPG, and complained about a lack of quests having moral decision making that could end in different ways. The forced voice acted protagonist with a more solidified backstory, as opposed to being more of a blank state, was met with mixed reception. For example, the Sole Survivor is forced to have a spouse of the opposite sex, resulting in the game being criticized by some LGBT+ players for having imposed heteronormativity. Fallout 4 was also criticized for the way it presented its dialogue system, only showing short keywords instead of full dialogue, with SPECIAL checks, perk and skill requirements removed; SPECIAL checks were brought back in the next mainline installment Fallout 76.

Some aspects of the story and writing, which was overseen by Emil Pagliarulo, received criticism. GameRant felt that while Fallout 4 is a great open-world RPG, its main story is full of plot holes, inconsistencies, and "things that simply don't make sense."[Non-game 33] For example, there is a contradiction on whether or not synths need sleep; Max Loken says synths don't need to sleep,[2] while Curie discusses the need to sleep when in her synth body.[3] The story has some apparent retcons. GameCritics felt there were many "thinly-written" characters.[Non-game 34] Chris McMullen of The Escapist felt that in contrast to James from Fallout 3, the player's spouse and child do not spend enough time with the player and that this is a major story issue because the game expects the player to care about a baby they only spend half a minute with.[Non-game 35]

The Guardian felt that enemies do not react to attacks enough and that they feel like bullet sponges, complained about the slow pace of leveling up and noted bugs.[Non-game 36] Cheat Code Central was disappointed by the lack of a cover system in which players could lean out and shoot from behind cover.[Non-game 37]

Behind the scenes

Diamond City Halloween style FO4

Halloween at Diamond City

  • There was supposed to be a giant 300 feet glowing ghoul in the Glowing Sea called May-Pole that was inspired by the video game Shadow of the Colossus. It was cut due to technical issues.
  • Todd Howard mentioned there was supposed to be a BioShock style Vault with a sentient octopus. This would be the setting of the 20 Leagues Under the Sea quest.
  • If the game's in-game clock is October 31 or December 25, there will be festive decor at Diamond City.
  • Fallout Shelter Online, an Asia-exclusive sequel to Fallout Shelter developed by an outside studio (Shengqu Games), is primarily set in the Commonwealth and serves as a prequel to Fallout 4. However, the game's place in the main continuity is not established.

Gallery

Promotional

Screenshots

Concept art

Main article: Fallout 4 concept art

Videos

Main article: Fallout 4 trailer

See also

External links

References

  1. Fallout on Twitter: "Thank you for your patience with us as we work on the Fallout 4 next-gen update. We know you're excited, and so are we! But we need a bit more time and look forward to an exciting return to the Commonwealth in 2024."
  2. The Sole Survivor: "What makes them superior?"
    Max Loken: "The list of improvements is exhaustive. I can talk for an hour and still not cover all of it. Imagine what you could accomplish if you could live without fear of hunger or disease. Imagine what you could create if you could use every waking moment of your life as you saw fit, with no need of sleep? Like I said, a momentous time."
    (Max Loken's dialogue)
  3. Curie: "All of these bodily functions. How do you keep track of them all? I am hungry, I am sleepy. The list goes on."
    (Curie's dialogue)

Non-game

  1. 1.0 1.1 Fallout 4 Important Release Info - Bethesda (dead link)
  2. Bethesda: Fallout 4 Development is 'Basically Done' - IGN
  3. Bethesda news on Creation Kit - Bethesda (dead link)
  4. PS4 Skyrim And Fallout Are Getting Mods After All, But They Will Be Limited - Kotaku (archived)
  5. Bethesda confirms to TVG that a fourth title in the series is very much in the pipeline... - TVG (archived)
  6. Fallout 4 Cast & Crew Reunion ft. Courtenay Taylor, Matt Mercer, Keythe Farley, & MORE!, MrMattyPlays, 17:59
    Danny Shorago: "See, I thought I was recording a game called 'Angelina.'"
    (affirmation from various actors)
    Matthew Mercer: "Yeah! It was like 'space sci-fi' in all the audition sides for it."
  7. Fallout 4 Cast & Crew Reunion ft. Courtenay Taylor, Matt Mercer, Keythe Farley, & MORE!, MrMattyPlays, 17:06)
    Peter Jessop: "I've played all the Fallout games, I'm a pretty addicted gamer. But the most exciting part to me was when I first got into the booth, we started doing the dialogue... and they don't tell you what the project is, what it's gonna be. And...I said, 'I see a group of ferals up there!' I was like, 'oh! This is Fallout! This is so great!' So that was very exciting to me."
  8. Bethesda Game Studios on Twitter (archived)
  9. Bethesda's Todd Howard: On the new game, the one after that, and ladders - Eurogamer (archived)
  10. Erik Todd Dellums on Twitter (archived)
  11. Twitter Todd Dellums
  12. DJ Three Dog not returning in Fallout 4 - VG247
  13. Bethblog (dead link)
  14. Pete Hines on Twitter "@WhiteBoyAnton 200 years"
  15. Leaked Documents Reveal That Fallout 4 Is Real, Set In Boston - Kotaku
  16. Apparently We Won't Hear About Fallout 4 For 'A While' - Rock Paper Shotgun (archived)
  17. Countdown timer on June 2, 2015
  18. Fallout 3's Vault-Tec toll-free number wants you to hold forever - Engadget (archived)
  19. Here Are The Phones That Will Fit Your 'Fallout 4' Pip-Boy Edition - Forbes (archived)
  20. This Fallout 4 Collector's Edition Comes With a Lunchbox, Is Exclusive to Australia - GameSpot (archived)
  21. Fallout 4 Mighty Bundle at Mighty Ape NZ (archived)
  22. Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition (dead link)
  23. Fallout 4 Launch and Beyond (dead link)
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 Bethesda.net on Fallout 4 add-ons (dead link)
  25. High Resolution Texture Pack coming next week - Rock Paper Shotgun (archived)
  26. Metascore for Fallout 4 on PC (archived)
  27. Metascore for Fallout 4 on PS4 (archived)
  28. Metascore for Fallout 4 on Xbox One (archived)
  29. IMDB Game Awards - Fallout 4
  30. Fallout 4 has shipped 12 million units - VG247 (archived)
  31. Fallout 4 Review - IGN
  32. Fallout 4 Review - PC Gamer
  33. Fallout 4: 10 Reasons The Main Story Makes No Sense - GameRant
  34. Fallout 4 Review - GameCritics
  35. I’ll Never Forgive Fallout 4 for Telling Me to Care - The Escapist
  36. Fallout 4 review – spectacular, messy and familiar - The Guardian
  37. Fallout 4 Review - Cheat Code Central
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